Nursing students and Department of Neurology of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital observed Purple Day, the global day for epilepsy awareness, by taking out a rally in the city on Sunday.
Epilepsy affects about 65 million people worldwide and in India six persons in every 1000 population are affected by epilepsy. Social taboos and misconceptions were major impediments to extending proper treatment to epilepsy patients. It was essential that people were sensitised and educated on epilepsy, doctors of the hospital said.
The rally was flagged off by T.P.Poonachi, Minister for Khadi and Village Industries, in the presence of P.Kumar, MP, R.Manoharan, chief whip of the government, N.R.Sivapathy and M.Paranjothi, MLAs, A.Karthikeyan, Dean, R.Sivakumar, Resident Medical Officer of the hospital, and M.A.Aleem, Head, Department of Neurology, K.A.P.Viswanatham Government Medical College.